Quaere Dinas
Summary Quaere Dinas, the City of Inquiry, the City of Chaos, is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge without the interference by kings or gods. The city is is thought to be located on the islands of the Haf Plagur. Quaere Dinas was founded during the First Heretic Wars, 200 years ago, as a refuge for scholars in a sea of bloody conflict. The city is founded upon ruins that are somehow impervious to scrying by mortals (and apparently, the divine). Furthermore, all magic is changed or disrupted in Quaere Dinas. It is one of the few places upon Cetemar with this power. Quaere Dinas hosts a panoply of sorcerers, scientists, clerics, philosophers, and theologians who share one creed, "He who seeks knowledge is my brother." Quaerians are exiles: mages whose spells went awry, casters who would not use their powers for war; clerics and theologians who angered the gods or their congregations; scientists and philosophers who asked too many questions. Most fear to return home, having large bounties or fatwahs upon their heads. The safety of the citizens is secured by secrecy. Those few who can leave are both sworn by honor and geased by magic into silence. Government The city is ruled by a grand inquisitor and a council. Neither do much to rule. Quaere Dinas seems to run itself. The true overlords are the Haf Plagur, who demand tribute every year. City Life The city is a cacophonous engine of knowledge. Calls to prayer are mixed with encantations, and heated debates about theorems and the nature of the gods, with "eureka"s and "look out below!"s peppered in between. No question is thought too bold. No answer is thought out of reach. With streets and houses lit by mage-fire or oil lamp, Quaere Dinas never sleeps. Food is made at all hours, music plays, and vendors ply their trades endlessly. Its streets are maddenly confusing, interposed over a mysterious aqueduct system. Gridded streets intersect with spirals; one street dead-ends, or splits into three parallel streets. Fountains, pipes and aqueducts appear in the strangest of places; spanning overhead, then disappearing below ground. The architecture as well is a mixture of the impractical and outright dangerous. Six-story apartments teeter on stilts; airy gossamer tents spring up over squat brick houses, while other buildings look like blisters on previous construction. Some even build down, around and under massive clay pipes (no one is certain who built these aqueducts in the first place). The city suffers one minor disaster after another, as experiments go awry, burning down houses, transmuting clay brick to water and dust, a daemon gets loose, and so forth. But the residents don't mind, chalking up each calamity to the pursuit of knowledge. Trade Ink, parchment, paper, glass, potions, oils, candles, building supplies, rare beasts and plants, and wine (always wine!) are in short supply and high demand. Servants and craftsmen are also a commodity, due to the isolated location of Quaere Dinas. The trade is conducted in complete secrecy by a trusted shipping guild, the No Un Mumuri (Not a Whisper). Every item is passed through several middle-men. Ships are sent to additional ports far distant from the city. This results in exorbitant prices and profits. Treasures Quaere Dinas has three treasures, commonly known as the Prides: The Menagerie, The Orangerie, and the Library of Deg. The Prides are on high ground, surrounded by a sturdy wall and moat (in hopes of protecting them from the numerous accidental fires in the city proper). The Menagerie holds the strangest wild beasts of Cetemar, and even claims to have a senile old wood dragon in its collection, along with several sterile eggs. The Orangerie grows the most exotic plants of Cetemar; tropical giants side by side with artic flora. Its prize are two seedlings of the species, Alvar Hommes Gigantes; each barely sprouted, but already twenty feet tall. These trees are thought to hold the knowledge of the elves. Greatest of the Prides is the Library of Deg. The Library is famed for its polished brass doors, so reflective that even ghosts and invisible creatures are seen. Every entrant sees themself in their truest state in the reflection of the doors: all their gifts and flaws laid bare. When the doors close, the Library is hushed and lit with a strange amber light called "galvan." The Library is said to be the only quiet place in Quaere Dinas. Its holdings are small, but growing, for each resident of Quaere Dinas contributes the results of their work to the Library. But the true treasure of Quaere Dinas, known to only a fraction of its citizenry, are its maze of aqueducts. The aqueducts function as a city-sized computer run by water, each intersection functioning as a binary bridge, culiminating in the Four Quarcs: massive stone globes inscribed with ancient runes, that spin on a film of water; said to be able to calculate chance and fate--with the right data. Only a handful of men know how to operate the system, and its secrets are guarded on pain of death. Location Quaere Dinas is located somewhere on the Haf Plagur Archipeligo. Those few who have returned from cartographic or spying missions, have a poor recollection of the city's exact location. Estimated Numbers Quaere Dinas has fewer than 10,000 souls. Most are men and women. About ten percent are fellbreed, haefling, gnome or dwarf. There are few, if any, elves or half-elves. Known Towns Quaere Dinas is the only population center. Allies The Haf Plagur are the only real allies of the city-state. They provide security and secrecy to Quaere Dinas. Distant independent city-states do send rare diplomatic missions. Foes Quaere Dinas has many foes, both mortal and divine. Most of the major world powers, from the Midian Empire to the Gran Duchy of Aquethaine to the Mage Schools, are looking for fugitives, who are now residents of the hidden city. Gods and demons as well search for heretical clerics and theologians. But even they have yet to penetrate the fog of Quaere Dinas. There are whispers in the city as well about the Corrach Mawr, or Dead Dwarves. They are thought to be descendents of the original builders of the aqueducts. Misshapen, angry, thieving, and hungry, the Dead Dwarves aren't picky about their food. More than a few drunken residents have apparently disappeared down a sewer hole for a dwarven repast. Characters Gran Inquisitor Eliaseah the Gray The Gran Inquisitor is the titular head of Quaere Dinas. It is not a coveted position in the slightest, for the Gran Inquisitor has the danger of dealing with the Haf Plagur every year. Beyond that, the Gran Inquisitor is often tasked with resolving disputes between citizens over plagiarism, property damage, and other petty crimes; and presiding over other dull city functions. This leaves little time for poor Eliaseah to conduct any of her own research. Speaker Muada, Shirka Council Head of the colloquially known "Shirkers Council," (for it never seems to have a quorum) Speaker Muada has the unenviable task of managing city services with nine other short-sticks (recalcitrant citizens forced to serve in the town council). No one in Quaere Dinas wants to be in government, forcing the residents to find leadership by drawing lots. Most consider a term in the Shirka a prison sentence, because it keeps them away from their intellectual pursuits. Speaker Muada is desperate to end his term without having to do anything important. Durfwndr, Water Mestra Durfwndr is a portly gnome of undetermined age, who holds the position of chief architect and planner of the city's massive aqueducts. Considering there is little to no rainfall, no wells to be dug in the city that don't come up brackish, in a stifling equatorial climate, the position of Water Mestra would seem to be too important for a man of his... stature. Durfwndr is a heavy drinker, a smoker of many herbs, and an unrepentant bachelor. He is vulgar, boorish, and most people think him a bit soft in the head. He is seemingly unfit for a job of such import. But yet, the aqueduct stays running. And Durfwndr holds a life-long term, for few, if any know how the whole system works. Category:Cultures